Court restrains INEC from receiving recall petition against Natasha
Suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Thursday, 20th March 2025, secured a court injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting the recall petition from her constituency.
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The recall process of the lawmaker intensified on Thursday, with more groups in her constituency supporting the process.
The move comes after her suspension from the Senate Chamber after a dispute with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over seating arrangements.
On Wednesday, 19th March 2025, constituents began the process for her recall, but INEC denied knowledge of the process.
The Federal High Court sitting at Lokoja on Thursday, however, granted an interim injunction restraining INEC from receiving or acting on any petition seeking to recall her pending the determination of the motion.
The court granted the application following an ex-parte application for interim injunction supported by an affidavit of extreme urgency along with other court processes sworn to by Anebe Jacob Ogirima for himself and four others who are registered voters and constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The application was moved by Smart Nwachimere of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co.
The case was adjourned to May 6th, 2025, for a report of service and further mention.
The order read, “That an interim injunction is granted restraining the defendant, staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting in any way whatsoever on any purported petitions submitted to the defendant by any person or persons whatsoever, containing fictitious signatures and names of purported members of the said district and conducting any referendum to initiate a recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as senator pending the determination of the motion.”
